Necktie stretcher and drier



Jan. 1, 1935. E. BE HRINGER 1,986,386

NECKTIE STRETCHER AND DRIER Filed May 28, 1930 mlllllllnlh- -||||||num|Patented Jan. 1 I935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tie ironing devices forremoving creases in neck ties, and for reshaping and restoring them tofreshness, without in any way affecting the original 5 desirable silkensurface finish.

An important object of the invention is to provide a tie ironing deviceof a form whereby the surface of the front fold of a tie may be ironedfiat when in a stretched condition, the set being accomplished by theapplication of heat thereto from a remote source, no ironing contactbeing made with the external surfaces of the tie.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a novel heatingmeans associated with means for stretching a tie to be ironed, the saidheating means being readily removable from its operative position forreplacement in the event of a burn-out or other damage.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for exertingyielding stretching action on ties to be ironed, whereby variabledistention may be achieved.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for dryingout moistened or wetted ties in stretched form, to eliminate all creasesor wrinkles andrestore the tie for wear over and over again.

The ties to be ironed are first moistened or dampened and stretched overthe ironing device comprising a stretcher body, sheath or casing oftapering elongated form and of substantially the tapered shape offour-in-hand tie ends; when the tie to be ironed is in proper positionon the said device a preferably electric heater arranged within thestretcher body is energized to generate heat within said body, thusheating the body walls in contact with the inner surfaces of the tie tothoroughly dry it, without in the least affecting the polished or silkenexternal surfaces thereof.

Structural features of the device are present in a novel stretcher body,sheath, casing or frame, consisting of a fiat or plane ironing face orfront plate, and a channeled ironing back connected by a preferably a'irtight joint at their edges.

Within the channeled portion, forming a heating chamber, of the backplate, I dispose a preferably looped heater device, wire or coil of thegeneral shape of said heating chamber, but spaced from the wallsthereof.

The terminals or inner ends of the looped heater device or coil areconfined within a clip or clamp, preferably of bent sheet metal and of aform to permit ready replacement of a new heater coil or wire, in theevent of a burn-out or other damage to the one in use; the terminals ofthe heater coil or wire, are further protected by short asbestos orother pliable sleeves which are threaded on the ends of said coil andare clamped with said terminals between the wings or sides of the 5 clipdevice, after which a securing tongue on one wing or side of the clip isturned over and down onto the opposite wing of the clip, to complete theclamping action, but before the clip is bent to the clamping form, theterminals of an electrical supply or house line may be passed through acentral aperture in the clip plate and tied or otherwise secured to theheater coil terminals.

The stretcher frame or casing is stamped or shaped to provide a socketat the base of the heating chamber to receive the heater coil supportingclamp and a cross head of a dielectric handle having a central borethrough which the said supply house line is passed.

The handle may be secured to the stretcher frame or casing by screws orother devices passing through the face and back plates of said casing.

To further adapt the device to varying conditions of use I may secure tothe outer end of the stretcher frame a yielding tensioning frame havingspring arms extending backward in removed parallel relation along thetapered sides of the said frame and having sliding engagement with thesaid sides at the rear end of said frame.

The above described stretcher frame may or may not be employed,-that is,its use is not entirely essential to the successful functioning of thetie ironer, as I obtain very satisfactory results in the use of myimproved tie ironing device without the said stretcher frame.

Changes in the arrangement, configuration, and construction of the partsmay be resorted to within the scope of the claims.

In the drawing, illustrating a practical embodiment of the improved tieironing device;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section, showing the back side ofthe device.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a heater element employed, removed fromits casing or sheath and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the device partly broken away and partly insection.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through the device on the dotted line4-4 of Fig. l, and looking as the arrows point.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing a clip connectionin the heater element; and

Fig. 6 is a detail showing a blank from which the clip is formed.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 10 designates a casing or sheathpreferably of metal such as aluminum which may consist of a fiat orplane ironing face plate 11 and an ironing back plate 12; the face platepreferably is provided with a unitary clinching flange 13, extendingalong the convergent sides 14 of the face plate 11, and around the outerrounded end 15 thereof to firmly unite the front and back plates toprovide an air tight joint so that heat generated in a heating chamber16, between the plates, may not escape.

The heating chamber 16, may be formed by stamping out or otherwiseforming the back plate 12, with a channel 1'7, extending through agreater part of its length and terminating near its remote end in aninclined or beveled portion 18, providing a guiding portion, tofacilitate the entrance or introduction of the device into the open endsof neck ties to be ironed.

The 'inner end of the casing or sheath 10, is open and is enlarged toprovide a socket 19, which has spaced perforations 20, to receivescrews, bolts or rivets 21 which may be passedthrough registering bores22, in the cross head 23, of a dielectric handle 24, provided with acentral longitudinal bore 25.

Preferably secured to the narrower forward end of the ironing device bysoldering or welding as at 26, is aspring-stretcher frame 27,consisttion with the sides, and in the plane of the front plate 11 ofthe casing or'sheath 10, so that the front fold of a tie when stretchedonsaidframe 27 to be ironed will be drawn taut against/the front flat orplane'side "of'the' heater casing, to remove all creases or wrinklestherein, and these arms near their terminals are given inward bends asat 30, to permit the extreme end portions-to rest against the sides 14of the casing; the ends being confined in sliding relation in fixedkeepers 31.

In carryingout my invention I employ an appropriate heating elementadapted-to be disposed within the casing or sheath 10', whereby necktiesand the like in stretched ironing position on the casing and stretcherframe, may be quickly and uniformly dried." This heating may be done in'many ways, but preferably I may employ an electric heater 32, of thetype here shown, and consisting of a heating coil of theasbestos-core-and-cover type, diagrammatically shown at 33, which may beformed or bent into an elongated tapered loop 34, following the generalshape of the heating chamber 16, as viewed in Fig. 1.

The heater loop 34, may be held to shape by current insulating heatproof bridge plates 35, engaging the opposite legs of the loop atintervals along its length.

To electrically connect the ends of the looped heater coil, or wire 33to a source of supply, I preferably employ a-clip clamp 36, shaped froma blank such as is shown in Fig. 6, said blank being formed with acentrally arranged aperture 37 and a unitary tongue 38.

Short asbestos or other pliable dielectric sleeves 39, may be threadedonto the legs of the heater loop 34, leaving the ends extending a shortdistance, to be tied or otherwise secured to the terminals of a houseline cable 40, as at 41, and after the knot or other connection has beenmade, the clip is folded by using considerable pressure to clamp theinsulating sleeves 39, tightly between the wings of the clip, and whilethe pressure is present, thetongue 38 of the clip is folded up over anddown upon the upper wing of said clip, completing a satisfactory clampor holding means for the terminals of the heater wire or coil andpermitting replacement of a new heater loop or coil for one that isdamaged, in a few moments;

What I claim is:

' 1. In combination, a frame for-stretching a tie, said frame consistingof a fiat tapered plate having a marginal flange and a tapered channeledplate held together by said flange; the

forming of said channeled plate providing a heating chamber and asocket; a heater in said chamber and a handle secured in said socket,the heater comprising an elongated wire loop; bridging straps extendingacross the loop at intervals throughout its length to holdit to form,and a feeder cable extending through said handle and connected to theterminals of said loop.

2.' In a tie ironing device; a plate having a top ironing surface, achamber forming bottom plate fixed to the first plate, a heaterlocatedwithin said chamber, and a handle; said heater embodying anelongated loop and cross tie plates

